Has anyone used varigated yarn for a cabled pattern? I'm starting to think Christmas and would like to use up some of my stash for hats and scarves, I seem to have a plethora of varigated yarn. But I got thinking about it and I don't believe I have ever seen anyone do a cable pattern...... would it make the pattern "too busy"?

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GinnyG on Ravelry, I'd LOVE to be in your "friends"

Ingrid made one out of Noro (?) that looks awesome. (well, c'mon, it was Ingrid after all. )

You have to be careful about the variegated yarn, though. If there are too many color changes, or they pool or are too dark or whatever, the detailing of the cabling will be lost. That's why solid color, smooth yarns are the best.

I think it would depend on the cables and how the colours knit up. Really gradual colour changes, or where all the colours are similar would probably look nice with cables. Or at least not any busier than lace patterns are with variegated yarns. Same goes with the cable pattern; the more complex it is, the more it will be lost in the yarn. Like an Aran sweater probably wouldn't look so good in a multicoloured yarn

i started knitting up some cable rib socks in a varieated sock yarn with lots of color changes and yeah, i frogged them because it looked to busy. the cables got lost in the yarn and i felt like all my hard work was gone! haha but an episode of knitty gritty came to mind where they made a dog sweater that had a cable pattern on it and they used kareoke yarn that was varieated. but it was very gradual and the colors didn't change for several rows. it looked REALLY good! (note to self: buy kareoke yarn)

Hi,
Like other KHs have stated cabling with variegated yarn can be done, but choosing the right yarn and a simple cabling panel is essential. That stated in episode DKNG-607 of Knitty Gritty a pillow is made using variegated yarn as the background and solid colored yarn for the actual cable. Here is the address (hopefully): http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_kni...311299,00.html
Good luck on beating your plethora of variegated yarn back into submission.
Katrina

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The first and third pics from Ingrid are fine, as the colour changes are so long they don't obscure the stitch pattern. The other two are close to obscuring the stitch pattern, so be careful with anything having similar colour changes: these ones are fine but you won't be able to know until you have knitted some up. Think of all the lace you see done in highly variegated colourways, the hard work is for nothing because the stitch pattern disappears!
Sarah